Max Payne 3http://www.maclife.com/taxonomy/term/16101/all
enSteam Summer Sale in Full Swing; Great Game Deals Abound for Mac OShttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/steam_summer_sale_full_swing_great_game_deals_abound_mac_os
<!--paging_filter--><p>The Steam Summer Sale is in full swing, meaning this is your best opportunity to get the greatest games for Mac OS X at prices that would make a bargain bin ashamed. Alas, while our selection still isn't as diverse as it is for folks who play their games on the PC, there's still a huge sampling available to keep you busy through the summer. Below, we've saved you some trouble and found some of the best offers.</p><p>If you still haven't had a chance to play Telltale's phenomenal <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/walking_dead_game_episode_1_review" target="_blank">Walking Dead</a> game from last year (which easily marks one of the gaming's high-water marks for storytelling), now's your best chance, as it's been marked down by 75 percent from $24.99 to <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/agecheck/app/207610/">$6.24</a>. If you like your zombie games with a little more action, though, be sure to check out the cooperative zombie shooter Left 4 Dead 2 for a mere <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/550/?snr=1_230_231__204" target="_blank">$4.99</a>, marked down 75 percent from the list price of $19.99.</p><p><img src="/files/u334114/2013/07/steamsummer.jpg" width="620" height="286" /></p><p>If you love cooperative games but don't care for zombies and blood, consider <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/trine_2_review" target="_blank">Trine 2</a>, a breathtakingly gorgeous fantasy adventure for three players that also features a unique method for playing alone. Normally it's $19.99, but you can pick it up during the sale for <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/35720/?snr=1_7_7_151_150_1" target="_blank">$7.99</a>. Co-op lovers should also pick up the delightfully retro heist adventure <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/monaco_whats_yours_mine_review" target="_blank">Monaco</a>, priced at an agreeable <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/113020/?snr=1_230_231__201_13" target="_blank">$9.99</a> down from its already decent price of $14.99; or the legendary Castle Crashers, now available for 50 percent off at <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/204360/?snr=1_230_231__104" target="_blank">$7.49</a>.</p><p>Further deals abound. <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/sid_meiers_civilization_v_review" target="_blank">Civilization V</a>, for instance, is currently making headlines on account of its <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/civ_v_brave_new_world_deus_ex_fall_hit_app_store_today" target="_blank">Brave New World</a> expansion, and you can now get the feature-packed Gold edition at <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/sub/25544/?snr=1_230_231__104" target="_blank">$24.99</a>, a 50 percent improvement over its retail price of $49.99. (If you're just looking for the base game, it's also available for 50 percent off, at <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/sub/25544/?snr=1_230_231__104" target="_blank">$14.99</a>.) You can also pick up the great third-person shooter <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/games/max_payne_3_review" target="_blank">Max Payne 3</a> for 50 percent off, resulting in a <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/204100/?snr=1_7_7_151_150_1" target="_blank">$19.99</a> purchase that delivers hours of fun.</p><p>That's just a small sampling of what Steam has in store for us Mac OS gamers, and there's many more choices available <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/browse/mac/?snr=1_230_231__12" target="_blank">on its website</a>, including Counterstrike: Global Offensive for a mere <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/730/?snr=1_230_231__201" target="_blank">$10.04</a> and <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/games/xcom_enemy_unknown_%E2%80%94_elite_edition_review" target="_blank">XCOM: Enemy Unknown</a> for <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/200510/?snr=1_230_231__201_7" target="_blank">$19.99</a>. There are enough games in this list alone to keep you busy until at least the holiday season, when--you guessed it--there's yet another unbelievable sale with similar jaw-dropping prices. We'll let you know when it's out.</p><p><em> Follow this article's writer, <a href="https://twitter.com/LeifJohnson" target="_blank">Leif Johnson</a>, on Twitter.</em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/steam_summer_sale_full_swing_great_game_deals_abound_mac_os#commentsNewscivilizationco-opdownloadsgamesMax Payne 3SteamSummer SaleTrine 2Walking DeadXCOMThu, 18 Jul 2013 01:06:41 +0000Leif Johnson17554 at http://www.maclife.comMax Payne 3 Reviewhttp://www.maclife.com/article/games/max_payne_3_review
<!--paging_filter--><p>It's been 11 years since Max Payne — the perpetually beleaguered detective who brought bullet time, John Woo-inspired acrobatics, and noir monologues to shooters — made his last appearance on Mac, and his overdue return (originally released on PC in 2012) didn't get much build-up or fanfare. No matter; Max Payne 3 is a strong, stylish comeback for the middle-aged Max, who now finds himself battling kidnappers and drug gangs as a bodyguard in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The twist is that he's not particularly good at it.</p><p>Oh sure, Max is extremely capable in a firefight. Like a lot of modern shooters, Max Payne 3 channels players through detailed but linear environments filled with bad guys to shoot and objects to take cover behind, and it does an excellent job mixing an old-school run-and-gun sensibility — exemplified by Max's ability to dramatically slow time and literally leap headlong into enemy fire, guns blazing — with newer, more strategic elements, like the ability to stick to cover, a three-weapon arsenal, and enemies who actively try not to get shot. It also excels at keeping things interesting; aside from extreme levels of ultraviolence and stylized blood spatter, the game features some uniquely memorable stages (including a high-class, neon-lit nightclub, the seedy back alleys of a mazelike favela, and flashbacks to Hoboken, New Jersey, in the dead of winter) and frequent deviations from standard shooter gameplay, like sniping sequences and high-speed chases.&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u330237/2013/06/maxpayne3_diving.png" width="620" height="349" /></p><p>It can be extremely tense and enormously fun, although there's one notable irritation: the checkpoint placement feels uneven, and it's not uncommon to survive several grueling firefights, die, and get yanked back to a point in the game that already feels like forever ago. In those cases, it can be tempting to give up — although then you'd miss out on the monologue-heavy story, which sees Max fighting a desperate battle not just against criminals, but against his own self-destructive misery, alcoholism, and failure.</p><p>The Mac version of Max Payne 3 is a Cider port, meaning it's essentially the PC version wrapped in Mac-friendly code, and while it generally runs beautifully, we encountered a few bugs — including one that causes the game to hang indefinitely at the title screen, necessitating a force-quit and a full reboot before the game will run again. Also, while playing on a 2012 Mac mini, we encountered bizarre visual glitches that put rectangular shadows in the middle of light sources, or that occasionally replaced blood and particle effects with huge, black boxes — although those problems didn't crop up on our other test machines, a 2012 iMac and a mid-2010 MacBook Pro.&nbsp;</p><p>Also, because it's essentially the PC game, Max Payne 3's multiplayer modes — which are structured around gang battles, and feature a ranking system that lets players earn bullet time and other abilities — let Mac and PC players fight alongside each other, making it easier to find competition in a hurry.</p><p><strong>The bottom line. </strong>While the Mac version has a few irritating technical problems, Max Payne 3 still shines through as a high-quality shooter with a smart story, intense action, and sky-high production values.</p><fieldset class="fieldgroup group-the-bottom-line"><legend>Review Synopsis</legend><div class="field field-type-text field-field-product">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Product:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/max-payne-3/id605815602?mt=12" target="_blank">Max Payne 3 1.0</a></p> </div>
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Rockstar Games </div>
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<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="http://www.rockstargames.com" target="_blank">www.rockstargames.com</a></p> </div>
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<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Price:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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$39.99 </div>
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<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Requirements:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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<!--paging_filter--><p>Mac OS 10.7.5 or later, 2.4 Ghz processor, 4GB RAM, 512MB VRAM</p> </div>
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<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Positives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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<!--paging_filter--><p>Tightly designed shooter action that mixes old-school craziness with modern sensibilities. Ultra-stylish and bloody, with a compelling story to support the carnage. Allows for Mac/PC cross-play. Runs well even on lower-end Macs.</p> </div>
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<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Negatives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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<!--paging_filter--><p>Suffers from annoying bugs, some of them severe. Stingy checkpoints can make dying inordinately frustrating.</p> </div>
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http://www.maclife.com/article/games/max_payne_3_review#commentsGalleryReviewsCiderCider portGamesmac gamemac gamesMax PayneMax Payne 3Rockstar GamesshootershootersSoftwarethird-person shooterMacGamesThu, 27 Jun 2013 17:00:00 +0000Mikel Reparaz17382 at http://www.maclife.com